Osirisgene family defines the cuticle nano-patterns ofDrosophila

Abstract

Nanostructures of pores and protrusions in the insect cuticle modify molecular permeability and surface wetting and help insects sense a variety of environmental cues. The cellular mechanism specifying cuticle nanostructures is poorly understood. Here, we show that insect-specificOsirisfamily genes are expressed in various cuticle-secreting cells in theDrosophilahead in the early stage of cuticle secretion and collectively cover nearly the entire surface of the head epidermis. We show that each sense organ cell with various cuticular nanostructures expresses a unique combination ofOsirisgenes.Osirisgene mutations caused various cuticle defects in the corneal nipples of the eye and pores of the chemosensory sensilla.Osirisgenes provide an entry point for investigating cuticle nanopatterning in insects.